Ginger Prince with smoked egg salad on a croissant

It’s Rosé All May, and it’s time to say hey to summer with the Ginger Prince hailing from the cool granite highlands of the Strathbogie Ranges 90 minutes northeast of Melbourne, in the heart of Victoria, Australia.  A high-altitude and cool climate region, Strathbogie Ranges are built from 360 million year old boulders on a huge granite peninsula pushed up from the ocean. Ancient, nutrient poor and free-draining soils feature massive granitic outcroppings with decomposed granite in-between so vines put their energy into fruit development instead of the canopy.

Victoria Wine Regions; Strathbogie Ranges are in the heart of Victoria

Undulating topography offers various micro-climates and exposure for a wide variety of plantings including Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Arneis, Vermentino, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Merlot, Shiraz, Mourvedre, and Cabernet Sauvignon on 360 acres owned and managed by Fowles Wine which produces the Ginger Prince.

Victoria’s Strathbogie Ranges are in dark green and 90 minutes away from Melbourne

The climate in the Strathbogie Ranges is so cool in January that they’ve even seen snow! Fortunately, the wind whistling through the vines reduces the risk of frost damage in early spring as well as mildew in summer. The grapes thrive in the warm days and cool nights which allow the fruit to gradually ripen over a longer period of time to accumulate a balance of sugars and acid. Low rainfall and quick draining soils also contribute to low yields and flavourful fruit.

They say: “The harder the season, the sweeter the fruit…”

• Victoria has 21 wine regions and a range of climates: the cool Yarra Valley and Mornington Peninsula near Melbourne offer Pinot Noir and Chardonnay; in Grampians, Heathcote and King Valley you’ll find Shiraz, Grenache, and Cabernet Sauvignon. 
• Discover more about  Fowles Wines Vineyards here.
• Discover more about the Heart of Victoria. 
• For more wines from Victoria, scroll down for articles from the #WorldWineTravel writers.
• Join our ZOOM discussion Saturday morning May 28 8am Pacific. Find the link on the FaceBook event page: https://fb.me/e/4vNFacarn

Ginger Prince sparkling: my son looks a lot like this but he’s not old enough to have that beard yet!

Menu

• Any Time Summer Sandwich: smoked egg salad on a croissant
• Bacon lettuce tomato on spring greens salad 
• Dill pickles

I’m calling it an Any Time Summer Sandwich because it’s great morning, noon or night — and so is this wine with it!

Ginger Prince: with a ginger husband and son, I’m surrounded by Ginger Princes so I had to check out this wine when I saw it on sale at Grocery Outlet!

NV Fowles Wine Ginger Prince Sparkling Rosé, Victoria, Australia 

ABV 
SRP $25
purchased at Grocery Outlet
Grapes: Blend of Sangiovese, Pinot Noir, Grenache

They say: Prepare to be disarmed and charmed: for all those who dare drink from this chalice will swear allegiance, and succumb, to the allure of the Ginger Prince. 

Fruit is picked at lower ripeness levels than what they do for red table wine, then gently pressed. The grapes are fermented separately then blended together as dry wines which get their bubbles using the more affordable Charmat method.

Color: Reddish orange, the sun at sunset, prolific bubbles, pale platinum or pink rim. Very pretty! 

Aroma: Very understated nose, clean, raspberry. 

Palate: Refreshing raspberry preserves, fun and easy to drink sparkler, nice pleasant lingering strawberry and raspberry finish. What a fun Rosé

Pairing:We paired this summer sipper with a smoked egg salad sandwich, and a BLT salad. So, so great! While the sandwich itself was exceptional, it is perfect with the Rosé The creaminess of the croissant brings the sandwich together. The bacon lettuce tomato salad is perfect with the Rosé (as well as the sandwich!). The umami in the tomatoes adds another element to the meal that was totally unexpected, and works perfectly with the Rosé. 

I bought a few bottles– and now wish I’d bought more of this wine!

Ginger Prince

For more summer sippers paired with smoked eggs, check back in July on the Second Saturday for Wine Pairing Weekend. And for more wines from Victoria, check out these posts: 

• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm paired Peach Chicken and a Chardonnay from Fowles Farm 
• Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla shares Steamed Mussels with a Citrus Drizzle + Punt Road Pinot Gris 2019 
• Terri of Our Good Life is enjoying Summertime Charcuterie with Whipped Feta + Butterfly Effect Rose Grenach
• Jeff of Food Wine Click! serves up Frisk Prickly Riesling with Hoisin Pork
• Deanna of Wineivore is talking about Mango + Tahblik Old Vine Marsanne
• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator says “Say Hey to Summer with Victoria’s Fowles Wines “Ginger Prince” Sparkling Rosé Paired with Smoked Egg Salad ”   
• Nicole of Somm’s Table shares “Oakridge Chardonnay from Yarra Valley and an Orzo Salad Transformation”